Lynx clinch WNBA No. 1 seed on September 23 despite 96-77 loss to Fever, Olivia Miles held out with calf injury

Minnesota Lynx clinched the WNBA No. 1 playoff seed on September 23 after Portland Fire defeated Golden State Valkyries, despite a 96-77 loss to the Indiana Fever at home. Olivia Miles was held out as a late scratch due to a left calf injury, according to the Guardian. Coach Cheryl Reeve said the team would take Miles' injury day by day as the playoffs approach. Indiana's offensive dominance defined the game from the opening minutes. The Fever opened with a 14-2 run to close the first quarter and led 31-16, according to the Guardian. Indiana extended that lead to 38-18 in the second quarter and led by as much as 57-28 in the first half. Reeve pulled most of her starters for the second half. Caitlin Clark led the Fever with 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, per the Guardian. Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points to her WNBA single-season scoring record, according to the Guardian. Napheesa Collier spoke to the nature of the performance on ESPN, according to the Guardian: "It's embarrassing. We should be disappointed and embarrassed about the product that we put on the floor tonight. Not proud of what we did." Reeve stated that clinching home-court advantage for the playoffs did not matter to her because the Lynx are a "damn good road team," per the Guardian. However, she expressed resolve about facing Indiana again. According to the Guardian, Reeve said she hoped her team would find the mindset to "rip people's hearts out, and taking momentum back" when the teams meet again on Thursday, saying "Well, that's not my version of F you. So, we'll maybe discuss that. Like, what does that mean to you? And so that would be great that maybe that might exist on Thursday." Clark told ESPN, according to the Guardian: "We're scary when we're clicking. Like, we're the best offensive team in the league, and we've shown moments where we can be really good defensively. I feel very confident in everything and everybody that we have in this locker room, and I think for us it's just finding a level of consistency." Miles broke Caitlin Clark's single-season scoring record by a rookie against Connecticut last Sunday, per the Guardian. Reeve said she almost held Miles out for that Connecticut game. Indiana has already clinched their place in the playoffs. Tuesday's Fever win kept alive their faint hopes of earning the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round, according to the Guardian.